5 Million Years Ago
Humans Arise in Africa
“All the earliest hominid species have been found in Africa, and Africa alone.”
Kenyan anthropologist, 1992
The fossil trail of our origins begins in East Africa’s Great Rift Valley, where upright-walking human ancestors appeared about five million years ago. According to most evidence, by 130,000 years ago modern humans had also originated in Africa.
The continent’s tremendous range of habitats—from rainforest to savanna—favored early human evolution. Climate and vegetation changed over time. New conditions posed evolutionary challenges that led to greater species diversity and, eventually, to our ancestors.
History Matters
“When Africans talk about civilization, there’s a great pride that it all started here. We are the custodians of this history.”
Isiah Odhiambo Nengo, Kenyan paleontologist, 1998